Understanding Global Social Entrepreneurship … Essay

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Global Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship is a neo-liberal solution to problems caused by neo-liberalism

Primarily, social entrepreneurship involves the combination of business techniques with an aim of finding solutions to various social problems. With this notion in mind, social entrepreneurs identify and solve different social problems on a large scale. Business entrepreneurs build and transform the industry as a whole. On the contrary, social entrepreneurs take the role of societal change agents. They seize the opportunities that other individuals miss with an aim of improving systems. Additionally, they invent and disseminate new strategies that lead to pertinent solutions that result in social value. It is worth identifying that social entrepreneurs aim at generating social value rather than profits. The notion makes the difference between social and traditional business entrepreneurs. As a social entrepreneur, one is expected to identify any part of the society that is stuck and offer new approaches that will pull it up. This study offers a critical analysis of how social entrepreneurship has offered solutions to various problems caused by neo-liberalism (Szirmai 2011).

Evidently, neo-liberalism is enhanced as the system for both global trade and investment among all nations continue to prosper. Theoretically, it is aimed at making trade between different nations easier. In this case, it involves facilitating the free movement of commodities, resources, and enterprises. This movement finds cheaper resources that will facilitate the maximization of profits and enhancement of efficiency. In order to achieve neo-liberalism, some control barriers have to be removed because they act as obstacles to free trade. Some of these include regulations, tariffs, various standards, and different restrictions on capital flow and investment. Therefore, it is evident that neo-liberalism is aimed at promoting free trade that will enhance a natural balance. It is pertinent to identify that there are various notions that are associated with neo-liberalism. The rule of the market is the first point. It entails that freedom for all capital investments commodities, as well as services. The market should self-regulate hence facilitating a "trickle down" of wealth distribution (Robinson 2009).

Besides, the idea of neo-liberalism supports the abolition of all labor forces as well as the removal of all the present restrictions on capital mobility. The self-regulating system is the idea of such an economy. The movement of either goods or services is not limited because anyone can join or leave the market. It is pertinent to mention that neo-liberalism facilitates the privatization of all the public corporations ranging from water to internet companies. In a neo-liberal economy, the perceptions of public and community goods are shifted to individualism and personal responsibility. The ideology of neo-liberalism is guided by various principles as well as assumptions. For instance, it assumes that economic globalization would benefit everyone. Besides, it asserts that privatization is appropriate because it removes inefficiencies in the public sector. It also asserts that governments should function appropriately to offer infrastructure in order to enhance the rule of law. This is in line with property rights and contracts. The above assumptions affirm that the free market is a good thing. Unfortunately, it can be identified that the reality has proven otherwise. It is essential to affirm that most economists who support neo-liberalism are only familiar with the theoretical part. In this case, they have not analyzed the issue of power and the manipulation of various trade interests.

Though various benefits are associated with neo-liberalism, numerous negativities are present. One of the primary problems is the increment of poverty levels. The major reason is the fact that the innovation and growth facilitated by neo-liberalism were not meant to meet immediate needs for many people in the globe. Evidently, there are worldwide sharp inequalities especially on different indicators. For instance, research has identified that approximately 3 billion people live on two dollars daily. It is pertinent to identify that the figure represents half of the world's population. Besides, statistics has identified that over 85% of the global resources are consumed by only 20% of the world population. The percentage represents the world's wealthiest individuals. Many economists and researchers have affirmed that neo-liberalism risks poverty and increases violence if not well controlled. Clearly, the notion of free trade has been manipulated leading to concentration of power. Usually, this is against the idea of free markets as well as real capitalism.

Over the past decade, it is evident that a lot of small, medium and even some larger enterprises have been pushed out of the market. The larger transnational companies swallow such corporations because their financial performances are less than what they expect. Through the neo-liberalism, the public sector economy has reduced because it was handed to the private sector. Therefore, all the social services pertinent to human existence are unavailable. Ideally, 80% of the total workforce provided by the small and medium enterprises is unavailable. Therefore, all allegations concerning the correlation between economic growth and secure employment were false. Through neo-liberalism, economic growth means the fusion of businesses and hence jobs are lost. The only available jobs are precarious meaning that they are temporarily available and pay badly. One job is not enough to make a living. In most cases, corporations shift to places where resources can be obtained cheaply. It is essential to identify that the current change in business opportunities to armaments troubles development. In this case, the growth of new information and communication technologies are developed (Cruz 2013).

Because of Neo-liberalism, the means of production become concentrated to fewer people. New designs of finance capital control assets ever more aggressively. Different forms of private property are constructed with the clearance of public property. Besides, this is enhanced by the transformation of previously owned public property to private property. Through neo-liberalism, small-scale industries are turned into the corporate sector. The shift has resulted in high levels of unemployment. According to research, the affected areas include fields that were excluded from the profitable logics. Some of these include education, energy health as well as water resources. The current total commercialization of the small scale and public sectors cause the enclosures.

It can be noticed that that there is a survival problem. Predatory appropriation forms design the new private property forms. In this case, only a few people have access to the means of production. Such people depend on the scarce as well as the underpaying jobs. The abolition of the workforce unions and communism in the society has destroyed the idea that people can depend on the community to assist them in times of need. Neo-colonialism has made people depend solely on the private sector. This includes the expensive products and services that are of a poor quality and less reliable than the public sector. Besides, the current underdevelopment across continents can be blamed on neo-liberalism. In this case, resources are not equally distributed. Some areas receive more resources than others do. Research has confirmed that only areas that prove to be productive are the ones that receive resources. Other areas are left out, and they continue being underdeveloped. All the social, cultural, and ecological considerations are left out in order to make room for plundering. All the available global resources such as water, rainforests, and other natural resources have been turned into globalization objects. The high rate of ecological destruction is one of the current consequences.

Evidently, social entrepreneurship has offered a pertinent contribution towards solving the above problems. Studies have identified that social entrepreneurs create businesses in various industries that have a pertinent positive effect on the society. Reasonably, social entrepreneurs see communities as the solution but not beneficiaries of the products and services. As a social entrepreneur, one has the freedom to explore and come out with innovative solutions that will help the community. Furthermore, social entrepreneurship aims at giving solutions that will enhance change in the society. Unlike neo-liberalism that is concerned with oppressing the public sector and facilitating unemployment, social entrepreneurship offers jobs to community members. Since they are business owners, social entrepreneurs are advantageous to the community because they generate jobs and income. Additionally, social entrepreneurship utilizes a percentage of the profit to fund different projects that can benefit the whole society. The step is pertinent because it solves the problem of unequal distribution of resources that cause under-development in various areas.

Passion is one of the major attributes that facilitate creativity and innovation. Through social entrepreneurship, this trait is manifested and is turned into profits that benefit not only the entrepreneur, but also the community. Through such innovation, solutions to various societal problems are provided offering jobs to the community members at the same time. One of the major problems caused by neo-liberalism was the high cost of operations. However, social entrepreneurship is a solution. It facilitates cost effectiveness. In this case, all the solutions provided in terms of services and products are more reasonable unlike when any profit-making enterprise provides the same service. Through social enterprises, basic amenities such as education and health care become affordable to every individual. In fact, all services… [END OF PREVIEW]

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